Chapter 23:Trade Me Off
Chapter 23: Trade Me Off
(Alexander’s POV)
He thought he’d cornered everyone. That smug confidence oozed off him like a foul stench, poisoning the already suffocating air of the grove.
I stood my ground, ice–blue eyes locked on him. My wolf stirred restlessly beneath the surface,
the need to act clawing at my restraint.
“You’re moving fast, Marcus,” I said slowly, each word deliberate. “Too fast, don’t you think? Announcing a mate claim is one thing. Rushing it through in three moons? It seems…
calculated.”
His smirk widened, his wolf’s aura rippling through the grove like an unspoken threat. He tilted his head, his stance relaxed but oozing dominance.
C
“Calculated, you say?” His voice was smooth but carried a sharp undertone. “When my wolf senses what it wants, Alexander, I don’t see the need to delay.”
“Interesting,” I replied calmly, though my fingers twitched. “Except mate claims don’t usually happen without mutual consent. So where’s hers?”
Marcus chuckled, low and condescending. “She doesn’t need to say it out loud. Her wolf
understands.”
He stepped closer, invading the space between us, making his royal authority blisteringly obvious. “Didn’t you notice how she didn’t challenge me? Her silence said everything I needed
to hear.”
“You call forced compliance consent?” My voice sharpened, an edge creeping into my tone as my wolf growled beneath my control. “She hasn’t agreed, Marcus. Everyone can see that,
except you.”
His expression ‘darkened–only slightly, but it was enough to ripple tension through the air. His violet eyes glinted with challenge as he smirked again. ”
Are you accusing a royal wolf of… manipulation? Treason, perhaps?” The playful edge in his voice was gone now, replaced by something colder. “Careful, Beta. Words have consequences.”
“I’m just calling it as it is,” I shot back, my stance firm. “And from where I’m standing, this isn’t
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Chapter 23:Trade Me Off
about mateship. This is about power. And Celeste is a pawn in whatever game you and
Regina are playing.”
Marcus’s wolf surged forward, the dominance rolling off him in waves. It crashed against my
aura like a storm, but I held fast. My wolf growled louder, refusing to back down.
“You’re overstepping, Alexander,” Marcus hissed, his calm facade slipping. His fangs glinted
faintly as his lips curled upward. “A Beta questioning the intentions of royal blood? That’s
bold, even for you.”
“Bold?” I took a step forward, standing mere inches from him now. The gap between us
crackled with unspoken tension, our wolves bristling under the surface.
“It’s not bold to expose the truth, Marcus. Celeste’s scars didn’t heal because of kindness. I
wonder how she feels about being claimed by the very family that left her to rot in Moon
Shadow Prison.”
Marcus’s eyes flared, his wolf snapping faintly as he jutted his chin upward. “You don’t know
what you’re talking about.”
“Oh, I think I do,” I said coldly, my voice steady. “And deep down, so does she.”
For a split second, Marcus’s mask cracked. Anger flashed brighter in his violet eyes before he
quickly gathered himself, his smirk returning with forced ease.
“You’re meddling in matters far above your station, Alexander,” he said, his voice calm but
dripping with venom. “Celeste is mine. Backing off would be wise.”
“Yours?” My wolf clawed to the surface, my ice–blue eyes narrowing sharply. “Did her wolf tell
you that, Marcus? Or are you just hearing what you want to hear?”
The silence that followed was thicker than ever. His gaze held mine, unflinching, while the growling tension between our wolves filled the empty space.
“Walk away,” he said finally, his voice low and menacing. “Before you say something you’ll regret. Interfering with a royal mate claim is grounds for treason, Alexander. Even for someone
like you.”
(Celeste’s POV)
The silence in Luna Victoria’s car was unbearable. Every bump along the road felt amplified,
every breath louder than it should’ve been. My hands rested uneasily in my lap, but my chest felt suffocated under the weight of too many thoughts.
Victoria’s occasional glance at me through the rearview mirror didn’t help. Her wolf radiated
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discomfort, its energy brushing faintly against mine. “You’ve been quiet,” she said finally, her tone measured. It wasn’t the tone of a concerned mother–it was probing.
I didn’t respond immediately, my gaze fixed on the passing trees. Finally, I gave, a small shrug, forcing a neutral tone. “What did you expect?”
She sighed softly, her hands tightening on the steering wheel. “Celeste, I know this is…
overwhelming. Marcus’s claim caught us all off guard.”
I turned my head to face her, my expression blank. “Did it? Or was that the plan all along?”
Her wolf whined faintly, though her expression remained composed. “Regina approached me
about the arrangement recently. She insisted Marcus had his reasons–his wolf chose you.”
“His wolf chose me?” I repeated, bitterness seeping into my voice. “It must’ve been very
convenient timing, don’t you think?”
Her green eyes flicked toward me briefly before focusing back on the road. “Regina has her
reasons. She’s always admired your strength, Celeste.” The words rang hollow, even to her.
“This connection… it ensures stability for everyone.”
“Everyone?” I said coldly. I let my gaze drift back out the window, my voice soft but firm. “Don’t
you mean Scarlett? Isn’t this about clearing the path for her and Alexander?”
Victoria flinched, just slightly, her wolf whining again in protest. “That’s not—‘
“Enough,” I interrupted, sharper than I intended. I exhaled to calm myself. “Just tell me why.
Why this now? Why me?”
She hesitated, her wolf visibly torn. “Regina…” Her voice faltered. “Regina chose you
specifically for this alliance. She… has a fondness for you.”
I laughed softly, bitterly, the sound devoid of humor. “Fondness? Is that what makes wolves
like Marcus destroy someone’s life? Fondness?”
A heavier silence followed, one that burned with unsaid truths.
Victoria’s wolf whined louder, her tone shifting to one of desperation. “You’re underestimating yourself, Celeste,” she said, looking at me again through the mirror. “I know you’ve endured so much, but this could offer security. A future.”
“Security?” I echoed, my voice wavering faintly. I leaned forward slightly, gripping the edge of the seat. “You think there’s security tied to Marcus Blackwood? Do you know what he’s done? What he’s capable of?”
Victoria didn’t answer. Her silence only fed my growing anger.
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“You want to know the truth?” I continued, my voice trembling now. “Security doesn’t exist in a family willing to trade me off like some…” My words caught in my throat, the weight of
everything pressing on me. I leaned back heavily in my seat, exhaling shakily. “Forget it. It
doesn’t matter.”
Victoria’s hands tightened further around the steering wheel as her wolf let out a faint whine. “You think we abandoned you,” she murmured finally, her voice soft with regret. “But we didn’t,
Celeste. You’re still family.”
The word family made my stomach churn. The same “family” that shut its doors on me. The
same “family” that turned a blind eye while I rotted in Moon Shadow Prison.
I turned my head back to the window, unable to hold her gaze any longer. My wolf curled tightly within me, too weary to argue further. “If that’s what helps you sleep at night,” I said
softly, my voice laced with exhaustion. “Then believe it.”
The rest of the ride passed in silence. Her reassurances rang empty, her attempts at smoothing over years of wounds failing miserably. My wolf didn’t stir as we neared the pack
grounds. It stayed silent, reflecting my hollow resolve.
Whatever game Regina and Victoria were playing, I was just a piece. But this time, I wasn’t sure I had the strength left to fight.
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